O’Malley’s gimmicks will lead to bankruptcy Re: “O’Malley says he’s open to tax hikes as Assembly opens,” Jan. 11
Otto von Bismarck once said that no one should see either sausage or laws being made. He should have added “the details of Gov. O’Malley’s budget” to the list.
Thanks to The Examiner, Marylanders got the details of some of the gimmicks the governor has used this year:
» He urged minor pension reforms, but would direct 87 percent of the savings to plug the state’s 2012 budget deficit rather than the $19 billion unfunded retirement liability.
» He assumes that increases in employee contributions will kick in right away instead of a year from now, thus enabling him to cut the state’s annual contribution to the pension fund now — even though the money to make up for that cut is nonexistent.
GOP leader Anthony O’Donnell correctly said that Maryland should immediately switch to 401(k) plans since the current pension system being propped up by budget gimmicks “will bankrupt the state.”
Richard Kreutzberg
Chevy Chase
Democrats plan to reward illegal immigrants
Maryland state Sens. Richard Madaleno, D-Montgomery, and Victor Ramirez, D-Prince George’s, are planning to file bills in Annapolis that would allow illegal immigrants to receive in-state tuition to the tune of $8,416 per illegal student.
That is outrageous and is nothing more than a way for the Democrats to seek more votes for themselves in the next election. Illegal immigration has been a huge problem in Maryland and is on the rise, particularly in Montgomery and Prince George’s.
This faulty proposal must not become law under any circumstances. What is needed here is for law enforcement to do their jobs and deport those who have invaded our state and increased our deficit.
Al Eisner
Silver Spring
Haiti needs former dictator for reconstruction
Re: ” ‘Baby Doc’ adds new twist to Haiti’s latest woes,” Jan. 17
Jean Claude “Baby Doc” Duvalier’s return from exile to Haiti, where he faces charges associated with his “authoritarian” rule as Haitian strongman, recalls Saddam Hussein who, on his way to the gallows, urged his countrymen to stop fighting one another and unite against the occupier.
In retrospect, Saddam’s strong measures proved necessary evils to keep the country together and maintain order. Although his regime gassed and imprisoned his opponents, Iraqis could live and worship in safety, which they can no longer do now that “liberation” has unleashed a fratricide that neither Iraq’s occupiers nor the government they set up are able to prevent.
Similarly in Haiti, a succession of democratically elected leaders has not led to stability or progress for the Western Hemisphere’s most impoverished country. Haiti has not yet recovered from its devastating earthquake a year ago despite foreign aid and legions of well-meaning foreigners. Disaster recovery requires a measure of organization which authoritarian systems are better suited to provide than democratic systems.
The ulterior motive of Baby Doc’s return may have been to organize Haiti’s recovery. However, a regime that cannot even rebuild the presidential palace plans to prosecute him instead of throwing flowers in his path.
Dino Drudi
Alexandria
